Dual Celebration For HunAF Gripen

24 April 2019

Hungarian Air Force Gripen fleet has two new feathers in its cap. The aircraft recently completed 20,000 flight hours, and they are all set to begin the second round of Baltic Air Policing missions over Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. To celebrate both milestones, the Hungarian Air Force hosted a celebration at its airbase in Kecskemet last week.

This is the second time since 2015 that the Hungarian Air Force will conduct the Baltic Air Policing. The Spanish Air Force’s F-18 fighters and The Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter aircraft will also augment the mission.

The Hungarian Gripen’s deployment will also be special for another reason - it will be the 50th NATO fighter detachment to be deployed since 2004 for the Baltic Air Policing mission.

The Hungarian Air Force Gripens will lead the Baltic Air Policing for the next four months.

According to Sweden's recent report on the spending and equipment priorities for the year 2021-2025, six fighter squadrons will be maintained through 2025 and Gripen C/D fleet will act as "the core of the fighter aircraft system" of the Swedish Air Force, reports Flight Global.

It is vital that fighter aircraft remain effective and operationally competitive throughout their entire time in service. For Gripen that's not a problem since that way of thinking is in the DNA of Gripen from the beginning.